In 1910, the Missouri State Normal School—Third District became the first teachers college in the United States to offer courses in agriculture. With this new offering came the need for proper facilities for training students. The president of the faculty in 1920 presented a report requesting land for experimental work in connection with the Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture at that time encouraged the teaching of vocational agriculture in high schools, but there was a shortage of land available for that purpose.

On January 13 1920, the Board of Regents decided to rent forty acres of land from the Thilenius Farm at the cost of thirty dollars per month. The farm included orchards, gardens, and field plots utilized as field laboratories.

On December 13 1921, the Agriculture Club formed; its membership was open to all interested students. Members of the club assisted in forming the Boys’ and Girls’ Pig Club and aided in the distribution of quality breeding stock. The Club sponsored agriculture contests and thus the college farm became a form of community center and students displayed their projects to the public. During this time the Club raised barley, alfalfa, corn, and sweet clover. They also used the orchard for horticulture training and planted a new one after the old orchard was destroyed in 1951 by a tornado.

Due to its position as a laboratory, the farm provided work experience for field crop classes for students in the areas of topography, conservation practices, and farm management.

The farm became self-supporting and student labor (agricultural majors) provided much of the upkeep. The college discontinued use of the old demonstration farm in 1977 when a larger and more functional 413-acre farm became available. In 1985, clearing began at the site of the original demonstration farm to make way for a new multipurpose building, the Show-Me Center.